NAICS 711130 Quarterly Industry Report
Musical Groups and Artists
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 711130Sector: Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
Fair Market Value compiles this NAICS 711130 industry report using data from the U.S. Census Bureau[8], the Bureau of Labor Statistics[7], and the Small Business Administration[9]. Our research team analyzes touring revenue, ticket pricing, and venue capacity metrics to build valuation benchmarks for musical group operations. This report on NAICS 711130 is updated quarterly to reflect concert market trends and ticket demand patterns.
Industry Snapshot
Key metrics for the musical groups and artists industry.
NAICS Sector
71
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
Industry Definition & Overview
Musical Groups and Artists (NAICS 711130) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in producing live musical entertainment. This includes symphony orchestras, chamber music ensembles, jazz bands, rock and pop groups, country music acts, and solo performing musicians. Revenue streams span concert ticket sales, appearance fees, touring income, merchandise sales, and licensing of live performance recordings.
Symphony orchestras and opera orchestras represent the institutional segment, typically organized as nonprofit corporations with annual budgets funded by ticket revenue, endowment income, government grants, and donor contributions. Commercial musical groups and solo artists operate on a for-profit basis, earning income from concert guarantees, percentage splits at live venues, festival appearance fees, and merchandise. Touring is the primary income driver for most commercial acts. A wide gulf separates marquee arena acts generating eight-figure touring revenue from working musicians playing regional club and wedding circuits.
The National Endowment for the Arts[5] supports orchestras and jazz ensembles through competitive grant programs. Most Census Bureau[6] tracks performing arts revenue, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics[7] reports employment data for musicians and singers. Nashville, Los Angeles, New York, Austin, and Chicago serve as primary industry hubs, though working musicians perform in every market across the country. Live music venues range from 200-seat clubs to 80,000-seat stadiums.
What's Included in This Industry
- Symphony orchestra concert production and touring
- Chamber music ensemble performances
- Rock, pop, and country band live shows
- Jazz group and combo performances
- Solo musician concert appearances
- Festival and outdoor concert headlining
- Wedding and private event musical entertainment
- Orchestra pit services for theater and opera
- Concert merchandise design and sales
- Live performance recording and licensing
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 71 |
| Subsector | Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | 711 |
| Industry Group | Performing Arts Companies | 7111 |
| NAICS Industry | Musical Groups and Artists | 71113 |
| National Industry | Musical Groups and Artists | 711130 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 711110 | Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | Theater companies hire musical groups and pit orchestras for live accompaniment during musical theater and opera productions |
| 711310 | Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities | Event promoters with venues book musical acts, negotiate appearance fees, and manage ticketing and marketing for concerts |
| 711320 | Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities | Event promoters without venues produce festivals and touring concert series, renting facilities and handling logistics for musical performances |
| 711410 | Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures | Talent agents and managers represent musical acts, booking tours and negotiating performance fees and contract riders on their behalf |
| 512250 | Record Production and Distribution | Record production companies work with musical artists to create studio recordings that generate royalty income between touring engagements |
| 512230 | Music Publishers | Music publishers control the composition copyrights that musical groups license for live performance and recording reproduction rights |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 21.7% | 1,188 |
| 2 | New York | 10.8% | 593 |
| 3 | Tennessee | 9.4% | 516 |
| 4 | Florida | 7.8% | 429 |
| 5 | Texas | 5.3% | 289 |
| 6 | Illinois | 3.7% | 205 |
| 7 | Georgia | 2.9% | 156 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 2.5% | 137 |
| 9 | New Jersey | 2.3% | 128 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 2.1% | 118 |
% Of Establishments
0%
22%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
SBA Lending Summary
248
Total SBA Loans
$24.0M
Total Loan Volume
$97K
Average Loan Size
10 yrs
Average Loan Term
10.72%
Average Interest Rate
592
Jobs Supported
Source: SBA 7(a) Program Data, U.S. Small Business Administration — FY 2025[4]
Key Insight: The SBA size standard[10] for NAICS 711130 is $15 million in average annual receipts, classifying groups and artists below this revenue threshold as small businesses for federal programs. Musical groups can access SBA 7(a) loans[11] for touring equipment, recording costs, and working capital, while SBA 504 loans[12] support rehearsal facility and studio real estate. Most acts outside top-tier touring artists operate well under the threshold.
Top SBA Lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Avg Loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Readycap Lending, LLC | 8 | $3.6M | $454K |
| 2 | TD Bank, National Association | 48 | $2.8M | $59K |
| 3 | Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation | 8 | $2.8M | $350K |
| 3 | Truliant FCU | 8 | $2.8M | $350K |
| 5 | Northeast Bank | 64 | $2.7M | $42K |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What types of businesses fall under NAICS 711130?
NAICS 711130 covers establishments producing live musical performances. This includes symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles, rock and pop bands, country acts, jazz groups, solo performing musicians, wedding bands, and festival headliners.
How is NAICS 711130 different from 711510?
NAICS 711130 covers musical groups and artists performing live for audiences, while 711510 covers independent artists working in other creative disciplines such as writing, painting, or acting on a freelance basis. Both involve creative work, but 711130 focuses on live musical performance, per Census Bureau classifications[13].
What is the SBA size standard for musical groups?
The SBA sets the size standard for NAICS 711130 at $15 million in average annual receipts. Groups below this threshold qualify as small businesses for federal contracting and lending, per the SBA size standards table[10].
What NAICS codes are related to musical groups?
Related codes include 711110 (theater), 711310 (venue promoters), 711320 (non-venue promoters), 711410 (talent agents), 512250 (record production), and 512230 (music publishing). Each connects through performance, management, or recording relationships.
What industries are closely related to musical groups?
Closely related industries include concert venues (711310), talent management (711410), festival promotion (711320), record production (512250), and music publishing (512230) for copyright administration.
What activities are included in musical group operations?
Activities include concert performance, orchestra productions, touring, festival appearances, private event entertainment, pit orchestra services, merchandise sales, and live recording. The NEA[5] provides grants supporting orchestras and jazz.
Can musical groups get SBA loans?
Where are musical groups concentrated in the United States?
Nashville, Los Angeles, New York City, Austin, and Chicago serve as primary music industry hubs. Every major metro area supports active live music scenes, with working musicians performing at clubs, theaters, and private events nationwide, per Census Bureau County Business Patterns[14].
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census census.gov
- [3]U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns census.gov
- [4]U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA 7(a) Loan Program Data data.sba.gov
- [5]National Endowment for the Arts arts.gov
- [6]Census Bureau data.census.gov
- [7]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [8]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [9]Small Business Administration sba.gov
- [10]SBA size standard sba.gov
- [11]SBA 7(a) loans sba.gov
- [12]SBA 504 loans sba.gov
- [13]Census Bureau classifications census.gov
- [14]Census Bureau County Business Patterns census.gov
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